1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a frame kit for an IC card and an IC card using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Portable information equipment represented by a notebook personal computer, an electronic notebook, and so forth generally comprises an IC card slot on which an IC card such as a PC card or a CF card is to be mounted. The feature of the portable information equipment can be expanded by mounting the IC card on the IC card slot. The IC card has a circuit board assembly constructed by mounting a connector for connection to the IC card slot on a circuit board, a frame holding the circuit board assembly, and a pair of metal panels covering upper and lower surfaces of the circuit board assembly. The whole thereof is formed in a card shape.
An IC card fabrication system is roughly classified into a mechanical fabrication system suitable for mass production and a manual fabrication system suitable for relatively multi-kind and small-quantity production. In the mechanical fabrication system, a metal panel is fixed to a frame composed of a resin molded product, for example, using facilities such as ultrasonic welding. Contrary to this, in the manual fabrication system, a circuit board assembly and a frame are interposed between a pair of metal panels, and the metal panels are coupled by being pressed against each other with the human fingers and a jig, thereby assembling an IC card.
In a frame kit for an IC card (a frame and a pair of metal panels) for assembling by the manual fabrication system, engaging members which are locking-engaged with each other are respectively provided on sides of the pair of metal panels, for example. One of the engaging members has a claw, and the other engaging member has an engaging hole. In the case of the assembling, the engaging members are engaged with each other, and the claw is fitted in the engaging hole, so that the metal panels are coupled to each other and at the same time, the mounting of the metal panels on the frame is achieved (see JP-A-9-245143 (KOKAI), for example). The metal panels are provided so as to cover a side surface of the frame from outside, and the engaging members are locking-coupled to each other at the side surface of the frame.
In coupling the metal panels, however, the respective engaging members of the panels are elastically deformed. Accordingly, it is not necessarily easy to align the claw and the engaging hole with each other, and it is difficult to perform an operation for coupling the panels.
Moreover, the length of the claw is very small. Even if the claw and the engaging hole are completely fitted to each other at a glance, the engagement may, in some cases, be actually incomplete. If such defective products are put on the market, the IC card may be disassembled in cases where it is given a large shock, for example, a case where it is dropped on the floor.
The IC card generally has a key groove determined by a standard formed on its side end surface. For example, the CF card is provided with a long key groove leading from a front end to the vicinity of a rear end on its side surface. However, in such construction that the engaging members of the pair of metal panels cover the side surface of the frame, a key groove conforming to the standard cannot be provided on a side end surface of the frame. Consequently, it is difficult to realize a manual frame kit for a CF card.
An object of the present invention is to provide a frame kit for an IC card which can be assembled easily and reliably and an IC card using the same.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a frame kit for an IC card capable of providing a good erroneous insertion preventing key on a side surface of a frame, and an IC card using the same.
A frame kit for an IC card in the present invention comprises a frame for defining an internal space of an IC card; a first panel integrated with the frame by simultaneous molding, for example, and having a first locking member which projects toward the internal space from an inner wall of the frame; and a second panel having a second locking member which is engaged with the first locking member of the first panel inside the frame.
In the construction of the present invention, the first panel is integrated with the frame by simultaneous molding, for example. Accordingly, the amount of projection of the first locking member of the first panel from the inner wall of the frame can be defined with high precision. Further, the amount of elastic deformation of the first panel at the time of the engagement between the first and second locking members is very small. Consequently, the first locking member is hardly displaced. Accordingly, it is easy to align the first and second locking members with each other at the time of the engagement, and it is possible to engage the first locking member and the second locking member easily and reliably.
It is preferable that one of the first locking member and the second locking member has a locking claw, and the other locking member has an engaging hole with which the locking claw is engaged. It is more preferable that the second locking member is composed of an elastic member. In this case, the locking claw is introduced into the engaging hole mainly by the elastic deformation of the second locking member, so that the first and second locking members are snap-coupled to each other. Since the first locking member is hardly deformed at the time of the snap coupling, the locking claw can be fitted in the engaging hole easily and reliably. The locking claw which has been completely fitted in the engaging hole once does not easily slip off the engaging hole. Accordingly, the IC card may not be disassembled after being assembled.
In the construction of the present invention, when the first and second panels are pressed against each other, the first locking member and the second locking member are engaged with each other inside the frame. Therefore, the first and second panels need not be provided so as to surround the outside of the frame. Accordingly, an outer side surface of the frame can be exposed. If the present invention is applied to an IC card such as a CF card which must be provided with a key groove for preventing erroneous insertion from a front end to the vicinity of a rear end of its side surface, therefore, a good key groove can be provided in the frame. Consequently, it is possible to provide a good manual frame kit for a CF card.
In such construction that a metal panel covers an outer surface of a frame, an end surface of the panel is exposed. Accordingly, the appearance of an IC card is not necessarily desirable. Moreover, the end surface of the panel must be prevented from forming a sharp edge by being subjected to finish processing. In the construction of the present invention in which the paired panels are engaged with each other inside the frame, edges of the panels can be contained in the frame or in an internal space of the frame. Accordingly, the appearance of the IC card is improved, and end surfaces of the panels need not be subjected to finish processing.
Furthermore, one of the panels and the frame are integrated with each other by the simultaneous molding, for example. Accordingly, the amount of deformation of the frame is significantly smaller, as compared with that in a case where the panels and the frame are individual components to be assembled. Therefore, the IC card has good durability against an external force. Further, the first panel and the frame can be handled as one component, so that the number of components can be reduced. This also makes it easier to assemble the IC card.
It is preferable that the first locking member is implanted in the frame, and is held in the frame with its front end projected toward the internal space from the inner wall of the frame.
In this construction, the first locking member is hardly deformed because it is implanted in the frame. Therefore, it is easier to align and engage the first locking member and the second locking member with each other.
It is preferable that the frame has an outer surface exposed toward the outside of the IC card to form a side surface in the direction in which the IC card is inserted. It is preferable that an erroneous insertion preventing key for preventing the IC card from being inserted in a wrong posture into an IC card slot is formed on the outer surface of the frame, and the first panel is integrated with the frame in a state where an area where the erroneous insertion preventing key is formed is ensured, that is, a state where the area is avoided.
In this construction, the outer surface of the frame is exposed as a side surface of the IC card after the IC card is assembled, and the erroneous insertion preventing key is provided on the outer surface of the frame.
In the present invention, it is possible for the panel not to cover the outer surface of the frame. Therefore, the present invention is applied to an IC card (for example, a CF card) conforming to a standard which requires the erroneous insertion preventing key to be provided extending from a front end to the vicinity of a rear end on a side surface of the card, therefore, it is possible to provide a manual frame kit conforming to such a standard.
It is preferable that the second panel has a positioning member (for example, an elastic positioning member) which is abutted against the inner wall of the frame for positioning the second panel elastically, for example, with respect to the frame.
In this construction, the second panel is positioned with respect to the frame by abutting the positioning member against the inner wall of the frame elastically, for example. That is, the elastic positioning member is abutted against the frame, for example, to press the frame outward. The second panel is pressed toward the center of the frame by its reaction. Accordingly, it is possible to reliably arrange the second panel in a regular position, and it is possible to reliably prevent displacement after the assembling.
It is preferable that the elastic positioning member is provided integrally with the second panel. It is more preferable that the elastic positioning members are provided on both sides of the second panel. Further, the positioning elastic member may be projected toward the inner wall of the frame from the second locking member.
An IC card according to the present invention comprises the frame kit having the above-mentioned features and a circuit board assembly constructed by mounting the connector on the circuit board, and is constructed by containing the circuit board assembly between the first panel and the second panel.
In this construction, the panels can be easily coupled to each other by the engagement between the first and second locking members. Moreover, the panels can be reliably coupled to the frame. Therefore, the IC card may not be disassembled.